This is a reissue of the 1977 album by
Sonny Phillips, with original liner notes.
Phillips marks
Eddie Harris and
Ahmad Jamal as his primary influences.
Phillips studied under Jamal in the '50s and, like both players, he had a gentle, soulful ability. From Jamal,
Phillips inherited or formulated a subtle, understated style of playing that used space and sounds akin to Miles Davis. It was in 1963 that
Phillips toured as an organist with the great improviser
Eddie Harris. On "My Black Flower," one can hear the beguiling, Jamal-inspired piano, and the organ fantasies are heard on "Me and Me Brudder." Another feature of this album is the inclusion of Latin rhythms, courtesy of conga and percussion journeyman Ralph Dorsey. ~ Tom Schulte